• Energy Research
• 11. Sustainability close
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• Energy Policy close

Abstract Trinidad and Tobago is an energy rich country that has been using energy with low efficiency and low socio-economic benefit. Recently, the focus of the government has changed to emphasize energy efficiency, conservation and management in its energy policies. This paper reviews the energy consumption patterns of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as its new policy focus on energy efficiency.

Abstract This paper explores the results and implications of an illustrative application of a sustainability assessment framework in the design and evaluation of a major integrated power system plan. The paper examines the integrated power system plan developed by the Ontario Power Authority in 2007. The basic framework rests on a generic set of evaluation criteria reflecting basic requirements for progress towards sustainability that was adopted, reinterpreted and applied by the Authority in support of its proposed plan. In response to evident deficiencies in the Authority’s work, the authors and colleagues undertook a re-examination using a more fully elaborated sustainability assessment framework, specified for application to power system planning. The results point to a plan and plan components substantially different from those proposed by the Authority. More generally, the results highlight three advantages of applying such a sustainability assessment framework: comprehensive coverage of key requirements for progress towards sustainability while ensuring careful attention to the context and concerns of the sector; emphasis on identifying plan options that avoid major trade-offs among the sustainability criteria and recognition of interactions among the social, ecological, economic and technological realms favouring options that offer multiple, mutually reinforcing and lasting benefits.

Abstract Green electricity is an effective approach to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions without damaging economic development. One effective measure to boost its development is to increase the awareness of residents about sustainable development and to increase their willingness to pay (WTP). This study applies a contingent valuation method to investigate the WTP of residents in Tianjin, China for green electricity. It uses a logit model to test whether the respondents have WTP. In addition to the factors affecting the respondents’ viewpoints frequently discussed in previous studies, this paper has also considered the influence of high prevalence of respiratory disease. Furthermore, it employs a multiple regression model to identify the factors that significantly affected the WTP. According to a sample of 468 respondents, most residents have positive WTP with an average value of CNY 32.63 per month. The main driving factors for a positive WTP are knowledge of renewable energy, belief towards the government, behavior, education, history of respiratory disease and others. The factors affecting the value of WTP include income, belief, disease, gender and age, and the first three factors often have positive influences while the last one has negative impact. Furthermore, males tend to have a higher WTP than females.

Abstract Motivated by the government's proposed target of reducing CO2 emissions by 30% of the 2005 level in the year 2020, we estimate the residential willingness-to-pay (WTP) for deep decarbonization of Hong Kong's electricity supply, which is heavily dependent on coal-fired generation. Our contingent valuation survey conducted in 2016 of 1460 households yields dichotomous choice data based on the respondents’ answers to a series of closed-ended questions. Such data are less susceptible to the strategic bias that often plagues self-stated WTP data obtained by direct elicitation via open-ended questions. Using binary choice models, we find that average WTP is 48–51%, relative to current bills, if the decarbonization target is achieved via natural gas generation and renewable energy. However, estimated WTP declines to 32–42% when decarbonization entails additional nuclear imports from China. As the projected bill increase caused by the target's implementation is 40%, our WTP estimates support the government's fuel mix policy of using natural gas and renewable energy to displace Hong Kong's coal generation.

Abstract Fuel poverty and cold housing constitute a significant public health problem. Energy efficiency interventions, such as facade retrofitting, address the problem from a structural and long-term perspective. Despite evidence of the health benefits of insulation, little is known about the political and social contexts that contribute to social inequalities in receiving and experiencing health benefits from these interventions. We used a realist review methodology to better understand the mechanisms that explain how and why variations across different social groups appear in receiving energy efficiency facade retrofitting interventions and in their impact on health determinants. We considered the four stages of the policy implementation framework: public policy approach; policy; receiving intervention and impact on health determinants. We found strong evidence that certain social groups (low-income, renters, elderly) suffering most from fuel poverty, experience more barriers for undertaking a building retrofitting (due to factors such as upfront costs, “presentism” thinking, split incentives, disruption and lack of control), and that some public policies on housing energy efficiency may exacerbate these inequalities. This can be avoided if such policies specifically aim at tackling fuel poverty or social inequities, are completely free to users, target the most affected groups and are adapted to their needs.

Abstract The escalating cost of energy, as well as numerous campaigns promoting conservation, have led to a reduction in energy consumption by households in many countries. Room exists, however, for further savings, particularly in the area of space heating. The major emphasis of the paper is on establishing profiles of two types of households, which are labelled as ‘efficient’ or ‘inefficient’ in their use of heating oil. These two types of households, are profiled in demographic and lifestyle terms. The findings suggest that the profiles of each type are very consistent across the six conservation actions considered. Having profiled the ‘inefficient’ households, certain conservation programme themes are discussed, for these families offer considerable potential (and challenges) for heating oil conservation efforts.

Abstract We use a survey to compare consumers’ stated interest in conventional gasoline (CV), hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and pure electric vehicles (EV) of varying designs and prices. Data are from 508 households representing new vehicle buyers in San Diego County, California in 2011. The mixed-mode survey collected information about access to residential recharge infrastructure, three days of driving patterns, and desired vehicle designs and motivations via design games. Across the higher and lower price scenarios, a majority of consumers designed and selected some form of PHEV for their next new vehicle, smaller numbers designed an HEV or a conventional vehicle, and only a few percent designed an EV. Of those who did not design an EV, the most frequent concerns with EVs were limited range, charger availability, and higher vehicle purchase prices. Positive interest in HEVs, PHEVs and EVs was associated with vehicle images of intelligence, responsibility, and support of the environment and nation (United States). The distribution of vehicle designs suggests that cheaper, smaller battery PHEVs may achieve more short-term market success than larger battery PHEVs or EV. New car buyers’ present interests align with less expensive first steps in a transition to electric-drive vehicles.

Abstract All Annex 1 Parties are required to submit an annual national greenhouse gas inventory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change using the common report format. The inventory is to include a sectoral report for energy, listing different sectors and their associated greenhouse gas emissions (principally carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide). The sectors and their associated emissions can be used as a benchmark to show changes in emissions over time. In certain cases, these changes can be misleading, since an apparent emission reduction in one sector can result in a significant increase in the emissions of another, typically electricity production. Applying the emissions to the sector responsible for the final energy demand (as opposed to the sector that generates the energy) allows researchers and policy makers to develop reduction strategies that are targeted to the demand. This paper demonstrates this by removing the equivalent residential emissions from category A.1.a (Public Electricity and Heat Production) and applying them to category A.4.b (Residential) in Nova Scotia, a Canadian province that relies heavily on fossil fuels for electrical generation. The shift in emissions changes an apparent 4.1 percent decrease in Nova Scotia's residential emissions between 1991 and 2001 to an 8.2 percent increase.

Abstract Shipping is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutant emissions. This study uses a life cycle assessment to compare emissions from domestic and imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), and heavy-fuel oil (HFO) for marine shipping. The findings show that only high-pressure dual-fuel (HPDF) engines robustly reduce well-to-wake GHG emissions by 10% compared with their HFO-fuelled counterparts. This engine technology is only available for large low-speed engines used in ocean-going vessels (OGVs). For smaller vessels, such as ferries, the current deployment of medium speed low-pressure dual-fuel (MS-LPDF) and lean burn spark ignition (LBSI) gas engines cannot reliably reduce GHG emissions. This is primarily due to the high levels of methane slip from these engines. For air pollution reduction, gas engines are found to be an effective means of reducing nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and, particulate matter without any additional engine aftertreatment. The HPDF engines, however, need aftertreatment or exhaust gas recirculation to meet the International Maritime Organization Tier III regulations. Sulphur controls, such as the 2020 act, move to limit sulphur to 0.5% globally. However, this will increase the cost of the HFO used by most OGVs, enhancing the economic case for natural gas fuel.